Deutsche upgrades Ares Management on ‘compelling’ entry point

Deutsche Bank upgraded Ares Management (ARES) to Buy from Hold with a $155 price target While the company’s Q4 report brought a headline miss on realized income, the market’s concerns over private credit fundamentals and potential AI disruption “are overblown,” the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm sees Ares’ “durable” fee-related earnings growth remaining intact. The shares are down more than 30% from the December peak, which creates a “compelling entry point,” contends Deutsche Bank.